A somewhat controversial topic, the how and when of rimfire rifle cleaning shouldn't tie you in knots. Here are the tips to get it done.
Some say never clean a rimfire, others obsessively scrub their bore after every shooting session. So, who's right? Like so much in life, the answer falls somewhere in between.
Michael Shea, author of Rimfire Revolution, and Mike Bush of premier rimfire manufacturer Vudoo Gun Works unravel exactly when is the proper time to break out the jags and solvent and how to give your cherished plinker a good scrubbing.
First off, take a deep breath, because what they suggest isn’t some complex formula, requiring exactitude to Nth degree. Instead, it’s common sense rules of thumb that are applicable for the everyday fun gun up to the precision rig. Bush breaks it down into three simple commandments:
Though shall clean your rifle.
Though shall keep it simple.
Though shall use a bore guide.
Overall, the process is similar to any gun-cleaning job, where you aim to remove the fouling while protecting the bore. The only caveat with rimfires is carbon/lead buildup can greatly exceed what’s found in centerfires. This is a function of the lower heat that’s generated by rimfire cartridges, resulting in more extreme cases in the infamous carbon ring in the bore just outside the chamber. It’s a devil to clean, as most sore-elbowed rimfire shooters can attest.
Bush suggests saving the mechanical cleaning, and your arm, by letting chemicals do the work. A non-corrosive solvent—he suggests Bore Tech for average cleaning and C4 Carbon Remover for heavy jobs—is the secret sauce. That and time. Employing a bore plug, Bush will fill the bore with solvent and let it stand for up to a day. The result, a carbon ring that wipes out with a few strokes of a nylon brush.
Armed with these simple tips, any rimfire shooter should be able to keep their iron in tip-top shape and hitting the mark.
Wilson Combat has just announced a new 5-inch barrel model of the SFX9, providing greater velocity and accuracy for those who prefer full-size 1911s.
Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat is one of the names most responsible for keeping the 1911 a seriously viable fighting weapon in the 21st century. While there’s plenty to love about old G.I. .45s, for a self-defense option in 2022 they can leave much to be desired. As believers in the genius of John Browning’s original design, Wilson Combat felt that the pistol could be made to be just as reliable as anything else using modern manufacturing methods and technology. Those who own them seem to believe Wilson Combat accomplished its mission, with the company now offering several custom 1911 models that are lauded for their reliability and overall quality. The SFX9 series from Wilson Combat was an effort to continue to modernize the platform, giving them solid aluminum frames, double-stack magazines and chambering them for 9mm. Intended for concealed carry, the SFX9 was previously only available with 3.25- or 4-inch barrels, but Wilson Combat has just announced a new full-size model of the SFX9.
The full-size SFX9 will feature a 5-inch barrel, providing greater velocity and better potential accuracy due to its longer sight radius. It ships with the same 15-round flush-fit magazines as the other SFX9 pistols, but extended 18-round mags are available as well. Most of the other features are comparable to those of existing SFX9 models. The MSRP for the new 5-inch SFX9 is $2,995, and it will be a solid option for anyone interested in the SFX9 series’ features but prefer full-size 1911s.
The full press release from Wilson Combat can be read below:
[ Berryville, Arkansas, March 1, 2022 — ]
For those who prefer a full-size traditional 1911 sight radius and the velocity of a longer barrel, we are now offering the 5” SFX9. This version has a 5” bushing barrel top-end mated with our new SF (Solid Frame) lightweight full-size aluminum grip frame design with a 15 round flush or 18 rd extended magazine capacity. The SFX9 frame is machined from solid T6-7075 aluminum that is rugged, comfortable, and sports an enhanced grip shape that enhances recoil control during rapid-fire and extended range sessions.
More rugged than competing guns made with two-piece grip/frame construction, the slim and flat SFX9 solid frame with the Wilson Combat X-Tac tread pattern improves control with a non-abrasive, comfortable grip in all shooting conditions. The SFX9 is available for order with various trigger, finish and sight options, including machining for red dot sights.
The robust 15 or 18rd EDC X9 magazine is retained for the SFX9 and offers best in class reliability with a tube and follower system that was designed specifically around the 9mm cartridge by Mec-Gar, the industry leaders in double column magazine design.
The SFX9 slide assembly retains Wilson Combat’s “Enhanced Reliability System” (ERS) for 9mm 1911’s. The ERS is tailored to the varying power levels of 9mm ammunition and maintains impressive reliability in all conditions, even when heavily fouled and low on lubrication.
Other cosmetic and performance features include a tri-top slide profile with user-replaceable front sight, match-grade 1911 barrel and bushing, reliability enhancing reduced frame rails, and a rugged, user-serviceable external extractor. The stainless steel slide wears the most advanced black DLC (Diamond-like-Carbon) physical vapor deposition finish available with chromium and tungsten underlayers for long-lasting corrosion and abrasion resistance.
The hand-fitted 5” barrel is painstakingly tuned by our gunsmiths for flawless reliability with a wide variety of target and defensive ammunition. Like the other EDC X9 models, the SFX9 can be field stripped without tools and can be completely disassembled using only a single punch. Rugged, light, and easy to shoot-the 5” SFX9 by Wilson Combat will redefine your range experience.
MDT has just launched MAMBAMAG, a sister brand that will manufacture aftermarket 10-round magazines for popular hunting and sporting rifles.
MDT is known for its precision chassis systems and shooting accessories, including magazines, but the company has just announced the launch of a new sister brand that will focus exclusively on the latter. Called MAMBAMAG, the company will be dedicated to producing 10-round detachable box magazines for popular makes of bolt-action and pump-action rifles.
MAMBAMAG can provide shooters with not only an increased ammo capacity in their rifle, but the ability to reload by changing magazines as well. While most factory hunting and sporting rifles have fixed magazines and low capacities, they can now be upgraded without any permanent modification with the addition of a MAMBAMAG.
The magazines feature aluminum uppers and glass-reinforced nylon lowers, making them both light and durable. They are designed to fit directly into most factory rifle stocks, though some rifle models require the bottom metal to be replaced by a MAMBAMAG bottom metal adaptor. The adaptor is made out of aluminum but features a steel mag catch for greater durability and also has a front mag catch for increased stability and better feeding. So far, adaptor models are available for the Remington 700 SA and the Howa 1500 SA and both have an MSRP of $179.95.
On their website, MAMBAMAG currently offers 10-round magazine options for the Remington 700 SA, the Howa 1500 SA, Lithgow SA, Remington 783 SA, Tikka T3/T3X and Remington 7600 SA. All are available in both .223 and .308 except for the Remington 7600 SA which is only available in .308. More caliber options for each are promised for the future and they all share an MSRP of $119.95 regardless of model.
Choosing a rifle suitable for the traveling North American hunter.
I’ve lived in Upstate New York my entire life. I truly enjoy hunting my native ground, and both the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains offer many different hunting opportunities. But I also love collecting different experiences around the U.S. and other countries around the globe … and I couldn’t be happier that folks are once again starting to travel to hunt.
North America can offer a wide variety of climates, and your rifle needs to be able to handle the rigors.
North America is a wonderfully diverse continent, offering hunting opportunities in radically different environments. From the steamy swampland of Florida, the arid badlands of the West, the sunbaked prickly pear flats of South Texas, the frozen Tioga of Quebec, Alaska’s rain-soaked coastal thickets to the hemlock forests of the Northeast, the weather and temperature can change considerably.
The “all-around” rifle is almost a myth; to find one single rifle/cartridge combination that’ll check all the boxes can be nearly impossible, though it has been done. Being honest with yourself about those species you truly intend to hunt will help mold the rifle that works best for you. For example, if a hunt for a coastal brown bear or a Plains bison just isn’t realistic, you may not need a cartridge on the heavier end of the spectrum.
The classic bolt-action rifle—like the Browning X-Bolt shown here—is the logical choice for an all-around rifle.
What Actions Work Best?
We’re talking a universal rifle, so I feel that the bolt-action rifle is the obvious choice, as they handle the fastest and most powerful cartridges, as well as the standard offerings. I can hear the single-shot crowd starting to grumble already, so if a Ruger No. 1 or similar rifle tickles your fancy, so be it. Like the bolt-action, they can handle just about any cartridge. I appreciate the rapidity of a follow-up shot, so my choice is the bolt-action rifle. They’re relatively light, wonderfully accurate and utterly reliable.
The classic Mauser-style controlled round feed bolt face, with non-rotating claw extractor.
We could also argue the push-feed versus controlled-round feed feature, and both have their advantage. Personally, I prefer a controlled-round action with a fixed magazine for the simplicity. I tend to lose things—like detachable magazines—so I like the idea of less moving parts. That said, the modern push-feed rifles seem to be reliable; I’ve seen fewer broken extractors in recent years. If you feel the Mauser 98-style actions aren’t for you, there are some hybrids like the Ed Brown M704, which combines features of push-feed and CRF for a rock-solid design.
The M704 action is a hybrid design, blending the features of controlled round feed and push-feed rifles. The author has found it utterly reliable.
Triggered
There are some rifles that’ll absolutely check all the boxes … but have a terrible trigger. Nothing ruins a good rifle like a heavy or mushy trigger. If you’ve found the rifle you like has an unacceptable trigger or is a detriment to accurate shooting, either have it professionally adjusted to break cleanly or replace the trigger altogether.
The author’s Winchester Model 70 has an adjustable trigger, and he had a gunsmith tune it properly.
I’m a fan of Timney triggers and have relied on them to replace some triggers that took over 6 pounds of force to break, making a dog of a rifle into a gem. Other aftermarket brands to consider include TriggerTech and Velocity.
Taking Stock
I love walnut. It’s warm, can offer an incredible figure one could stare into for hours, ages wonderfully and can be shaped into works of art. But, and that’s a big but, it can and will swell in truly wet weather. Its finish will wear off under heavy use and, in the worst scenarios (like a fall while hunting), can crack to the point of being unusable. I have some walnut-stocked rifles that I wouldn’t trade for anything, but those guns don’t make the best choice for a do-all North American rifle.
This Kimber wears a rugged synthetic stock in a digital camo pattern, suitable for any hunting situation.
The synthetic stock has come a long way in the past couple of decades, and while they’ll never have the soul of a premium walnut stock, they’re utterly reliable. Mated with aluminum pillar bedding, the synthetic stock will keep the action snugly cradled without demonstrating any changes due to the environment.
For a rifle destined to see a wide variety of temperature/humidity combinations, synthetic is my suggestion. If you absolutely can’t stand the idea, look to one of the laminate wood stocks, as they’re rather solid and can take a beating. From the scree-slides of Alaska, carrying your rifle in a scabbard on an errant horse, to climbing in and out of sketchy tree stands, a synthetic or laminate will hold up best.
What Cartridge?
Looking at the variety of big game species we have here in North America, picking a single cartridge can be a difficult proposition. Like it or not, many have used the same Remington .30-06 rifle to take all of the available North American big game species, and this choice is a perfectly logical one. With 130-grain bullets, the good old ought-six shoots flat enough to reach out for Coues deer, Dall’s sheep and pronghorn antelope. With a good 180-grain bullet, there isn’t too much that can’t be done at sane ranges, especially with today’s premium bullet designs.
Some common “all-around” cartridges: the .30-’06 Springfield (still the king), .308 Win., .280 Rem., .270 Win., .300 WSM, 7mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag and .338 Win. Mag.
With the 200- and 220-grain slugs, moose, bison and even the coastal brown bears can be taken. With the latter, however, I feel you’re definitely on the lighter side of the spectrum. I also feel that if the .30-06 Springfield can do it, the .280 Remington and 7mm Remington Magnum can also: Look to the premium 175-grain bullets in 7mm—and the .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Weatherby Magnum and .300 Remington Ultra Magnum will handle the spectrum a bit better than the .30-06 due to higher velocities and flatter trajectories.
The .338 Winchester is the Alaskan catch-all cartridge, but the recoil can be severe in lighter rifles, and the .338 Win. is a bit heavy for pronghorn, even with the 180-grain bullets. If you’re the traveling hunter whose interests stop at the deer species (save moose), the case could be made for one of the 6.5mms or a .270 Winchester.
Ammunition availability is another important factor. I used to say you could find a box of .30-06 or .308 in any sporting goods store or gun shop, but that might not hold water anymore, considering nearly all the shelves are universally empty. When ammo is available, I’ve seen just about as much .300 Winchester Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum, so don’t count those magnums out.
Glass and Mounts
With the exception of lever guns and dangerous-game rifles, iron sights are—sadly—going the way of the dodo. The riflescope, once considered suspect in its reliability, has taken over, and modern scopes are more reliable than they’ve ever been. Tube diameters are growing in size, magnification ranges seem to increase each year and there are models with objective lenses large enough to detect life on other planets.
This Nosler rifle wears a Leupold VX-3i scope in Talley bases and rings; it doesn’t get much more reliable than this.
I prefer the most versatile magnification range I can get, in a bright scope, that I can mount as low to the bore as possible and light enough to maintain the balance of the rifle (that’s a lot to ask, I know). The 30mm main tube scopes give plenty of elevation adjustment and lets in a bit more light than their 1-inch counterparts.
I don’t really see the point of having an objective lens much bigger than 40 or 42mm, as the exit pupil becomes larger than what our eyes can use. One thing I do want, however, is enough eye relief so that there’s no chance of getting “bit” at any angle. I prefer a magnification range in the realm of 2-10x or 2-12x for an all-around scope.
If it’s a premium-quality scope—and I highly recommend spending a good portion of the budget on the scope—a top end somewhere between 10x and 14x should handle long shots on elk, sheep, Coues deer, etc. I also want a low end of no more than say 4.5x. Sooner or later you’re going to be presented with a close shot in thick vegetation, and if the magnification is too high, all you get is a blur of leaves and fur, making shot placement difficult.
For one scope to cover all the bases, I’d say one of the modern scopes that offers an elevation turret easily dialed for longer distances, a reticle with graduations for wind deflection adjustments and a parallax adjustment/focus knob will serve you best.
Your mounting system is responsible for one thing: keeping the scope where you put it. I prefer steel bases and rings, as they seem to handle the rigors of recoil best. I use many brands but prefer Talley over the rest of the field, as I've had them on rifles chambered for varmint cartridges all the way up to the big safari cartridges without issue. For the purposes of a traveling rifle, one could use Talley’s detachable mounts (or a similar model from another brand) to keep two scopes—each its own set of mounts—zeroed, so that in the event you bump or damage your scope, you can simply screw the spare scope on and continue your hunt. Hopefully you won’t need it, but I know Mr. Murphy and his laws way too well.
Finish It
Like walnut, blued steel is beautiful to look at and is relatively durable. Yet, the spray-on coatings like Cerakote offer a new level of resistance to the elements. Cerakote now comes in a wide range of colors, so a traditional-looking finish is as readily available as one of the more radical-looking finishes.
This Heym Express by Martini is chambered in .404 Jeffery and wears a low-powered fixed 2.5x scope in detachable mounts, making for a very flexible rig.
If you want a custom look, it isn’t difficult to have a qualified gunsmith coat the exposed metal work in a nearly impervious finish. Stainless steel is another option and was popular in the 1990s as a weather-proof option—though it’s a bit bright in the field. I don’t mind a stainless finish, providing it’s a matte finish to cut down the glare while hunting, but see the advantage of a good Cerakote finish.
This One is Mine
My main “traveling” rifle—set up almost 2 decades ago—is a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless, with the black polymer stock (I’d like to revise that to a Bansner stock in the near future), chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum and topped with a Leupold VX-6 2-12x42mm scope.
One of the author's favorite traveling rifles: a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless in .300 Winchester Magnum, topped with a Leupold VX-6 2-12×42 scope.
This rifle shoots many different loads—both factory and handloaded—into sub-MOA groups, and has been all over North America with me. It has taken whitetail deer, black bear, pronghorn antelope, aoudad and more, and it’s by no means done yet. With a controlled-round action, a great trigger (factory, but properly adjusted) and the capability of hunting at any range I feel comfortable, it’s just one of many answers to the “all-around” traveling rifle question.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
AMMO, Inc. has offered to donate one million rounds of ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces.
AMMO, Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona has offered to donate one million rounds of their ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Announced on February 28th, this marks the latest pledge from the West to send lethal aid in support of the Zelensky government.
You can read the full press release from AMMO, Inc. below:
AMMO, Inc. Offers to Donate One Million Rounds of Ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Support of Their Fight for Freedom
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., February 28, 2022 — AMMO, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWW) (“AMMO” or the “Company”), a leading vertically integrated producer of high-performance ammunition and components and operator of GunBroker.com, the largest online marketplace serving the firearms and shooting sports industries, today announced that it heard Ukraine’s President Zelensky’s plea for ammunition and would like to help. Ammo Inc. is offering to donate 1 million rounds of ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in support of their fight for independence and freedom.
Ammo Inc. will formally offer to manufacture ammunition to donate to the Ukraine Armed Forces as they fight for their country’s continued independence.
Fred Wagenhals, CEO of Ammo Inc., said “Ammo Inc., and we as Americans stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, as we stand for freedom and democracy everywhere. While we fervently hope for a quick and peaceful resolution to the crisis and that diplomacy will win the day, we condemn the Russian aggression and its threat to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and freedom. We recognize that events are unfolding rapidly on the ground in Ukraine, and we are prepared to move quickly as possible to support Ukraine as it continues to defend itself and its freedom.”
A new 5.56 AK rifle and pistol model are now available in the U.S., freshly imported from WBP Rogów of Poland.
Kalashnikovs of all types have exploded in popularity among American gun owners these past few years, with many new and young shooters looking to the platform for their first semi-auto rifle. Despite this, WBP of Poland has remained relatively under the radar. Of all the different factories that are currently exporting AKs to the U.S., WBP is the youngest, but despite this they have established themselves as a reputable producer of reliable, true-to-spec Kalashnikovs. Zastava of Serbia seems to currently be winning the battle for first-time AK buyers, having models available in both 7.62 and 5.56, but WBP is doing its best to challenge the status quo. The Polish company has had their 7.62x39mm Fox, Jack and Mini Jack models available for some time now, but they’ve recently begun importing 5.56 WBP Jack AK rifles and pistols as well.
AK-enthusiasts have had concerns about the future availability of Soviet-designed calibers following the Russian ammo ban, leading many to look towards 5.56 AK models to ensure a reliable supply. 7.62×39 isn’t going to go anywhere, and even after Russian supplies dwindle Stateside there will still be a steady stream coming from both foreign and domestic producers. It will almost certainly cost more than what we’ve been getting from Tula, but what isn’t more expensive these days? Regardless, more 5.56 AK import options are never a bad thing, and the WBP Jack 556SR and Mini Jack 556SR now join the relatively small list of models currently available new in the U.S.
Like the other AKs in the WBP Jack series, the new 5.56 models are essentially just classic AKMs, only now chambered for the smaller NATO cartridge. Both the pistol and rifle can accept standard AKM-pattern furniture and they both also include a side scope rail for mounting an optic. The 5.56 AK pistol obviously can’t legally accept a stock from the factory, but it does come with an underfolder rear trunnion. This means that after paying the proper dues to Uncle Sam, one could legally convert the 5.56 Mini Jack to an underfolder SBR. Both guns come with 14×1 LH threaded muzzles, but the pistol’s muzzle is covered by a spot-welded thread protector that can legally and easily be removed once in your possession. Blending classic AKM features with some modern ones, the 556SR Jack rifle includes both an enhanced selector and mag release as well as a classic slant muzzle brake. The rifle’s bayonet lug has been left intact as well.
These new 5.56 WBP Jack AK models look as solid as they do handsome, and the general consensus surrounding their release has been mostly positive. Some detractors have latched on to the fact that the barrels, made in-house by WBP, are nitrided rather than chrome-lined. While an understandable concern, many people forget that the main advantage of chrome-lining is to prevent wear from shooting corrosive ammo and sustained full-auto fire. Since these guns are for American civilians mostly stuck shooting in semi-auto with new commercial ammo, nitrided barrels should last just as long as a chrome-lined ones.
Like the company's other guns, the new 5.56 WBP Jack AK rifle and pistol models are imported by Arms Of America and converted by Atlantic Firearms. MSRP for the WBP Jack 556SR is $1,299 and MSRP for the Mini Jack 556SR is $899, both are available now.
A chest rig is a versatile way to carry spare magazines and extra gear separately from a plate carrier, so here’s a rundown on the different styles and the usefulness of each.
Ever since guns became commonplace on the battlefield, their users have sought new ways to carry more ammunition. As firearms technology progressed, so too did the methods of carrying spare ammo, and over the years that meant everything from carrying extra revolver cylinders, wearing bandoliers packed with stripper clips and stuffing belt pouches full of magazines.
What Are Chest Rigs For?
Somewhere along the line, however, the concept of the chest rig began to take form. It was found that strapping one’s magazines across their torso was not only a more comfortable way to carry them than the belt pouches of yore but were faster to access as well. One of the earliest examples, and still one of the most iconic today, is the Chinese Type 56 rig, the classic “Viet Cong” AK rig that was little more than a cotton bib with three magazine pouches sewn onto it. There are far more advanced, versatile and ergonomic chest rigs than that available today, but even the old Type 56 rig can still tote your spare mags just fine.
One of the earliest widely-fielded chest rigs, the Chinese Type 56 rig. It holds three 7.62 AK mags and it inspired many chest rig designs to come after it.
Ultimately, with such a slew of chest rig options on the market today, it will be up to you to determine which style best suits your needs, your budget and the rest of your kit.
What Are A Chest Rig's Advantages?
The primary benefit of using a chest rig is versatility. When carrying spare mags is the goal, many people today achieve that by attaching gear directly to their plate carrier. While this method has advantages too, it is also much slower to put on and take off and one cannot choose to wear either the armor or the mags independently of one another. By separating the armor and the mag carrier into two distinct pieces of kit, however, one can choose to wear either piece separately or at the same time.
Bosnian Armija BIH 4-cell AK chest rig worn over a slick plate carrier.
Different styles of chest rigs have different applications as well, and some will suit your needs better than others. Most individuals looking for a chest rig are likely just seeking a convenient way to carry a few spare mags for their rifle, but others are looking for ways to increase their on-person storage of other items as well. A chest rig designed to be worn for days at a time in the field is very different from one designed to sit in your trunk in case of an emergency, so think about how you plan on using a chest rig while browsing different models.
Chest Rig Considerations
Before delving into the major different styles of chest rig, there are a few more basic things that one should keep in mind.
Compatibility With Body Armor The first consideration is body armor compatibility. Do you plan on wearing a chest rig on top of your plate carrier? If yes, as you browse for one you should think about how each model will interface with the body armor that you own. Gear designed to carry spare magazines can come in many different styles, and some of them play nicer than others with plate carriers. Besides the plethora of different kinds of loadbearing vests, battle jackets and combat harnesses out there, even traditional chest rigs come in different styles. For example, most chest rigs will either have “X” straps or “H” straps in the rear, and most people report that the “X” style is more comfortable when worn over armor. As you browse chest rig options, think about which style would best fit over your specific plate carrier.
Magazine Compatibility The next thing to consider is the type of rifle magazines that you plan on carrying in your chest rig. The sky is the limit for those running something that uses 5.56 STANAG mags, but users of more obscure platforms will need to pay closer attention. If you need your chest rig to accommodate AK mags, .308 mags, PCC mags or anything else non-standard, it will either need to be specifically designed for that platform or be modular enough that one can attach the appropriate pouches to it using MOLLE. Some chest rigs are little more than blank slates of PALS webbing these days too, allowing one to configure them with any pouches that they wish.
An example of a basic modular chest rig design from Condor. This could be configured with any pouches that the user desired.
Chest Rig Styles
With the previous considerations out of the way, we can begin to look at the different styles of chest rigs out there. A quick peek at chest rigs for sale online will reveal that there are far too many subtle variations in how they’re worn or configured to neatly place them all into separate categories, so instead we will break them down into three general styles based on their intended purposes. Since different models from different manufacturers will vary, this is not a comprehensive list of all chest rig styles, but it will hopefully give you a better idea of the general types and what they were designed to do.
Standard Chest Rigs
The amount of gear that a “standard” chest rig can carry will vary quite a lot depending on the exact model, but this categorization exists only to distinguish them from “micro” chest rigs. If it’s not a micro chest rig, it’s pretty safe to describe it as being either standard or traditional. Chest rigs of this size can be considered somewhat general-purpose, as they’re neither small enough to have the benefits of a micro rig nor large enough to serve as true loadbearing equipment in the field. Most civilians looking to add a chest rig to their kit will be best served by the more general-purpose models found in this category:
Blackhawk Commando Chest Harness
This model is both generic and somewhat iconic, having been used by many Western contractors in the early days of the Global War on Terror. While high-speed operators tend to carry their mags in different ways today, their previous use of chest rigs like this proves that not everything that’s functional needs to be complex or overly expensive. This model was likely inspired by the early Chinese AK rigs but has been updated with a new layout, materials and construction. The “X”-style harness system should make it decently comfortable to wear over body armor and it has enough space in its pouches to hold at least eight mags plus some other gear. MSRP: $148.45
Haley Strategic D3CRX
This model from Haley Strategic is a much more modern design. It can be worn either as a traditional chest rig when using its “X” harness or attached to the front of a plate carrier using a clip system. While it can hold fewer rifle mags than the model from Blackhawk, the mags are quicker to retrieve. It also has more provisions for carrying gear besides rifle mags, including pistol mags and medical supplies. Modern chest rig systems like this can also typically be expanded with the addition of more pouches, making them more suitable for longer periods spent in the field. MSRP: $199 at haleystrategic.com.
Micro Chest Rigs
Micro chest rigs have been in vogue lately, but just like many other trends in the tactical gear community, this too shall pass. Micro chest rigs certainly have their place, and for some individuals, they may be the best option, but far too many have been convinced that a micro rig is all that they will ever need. If you’re in the market for a chest rig as a way to keep some spare mags alongside your truck gun, a micro chest rig is a very compact and portable way to achieve that. But if you’re putting together a loadout that you intend on breaking out during the zombie apocalypse, you’re probably going to want more than three or four mags on your person. Keeping these limitations in mind, micro chest rigs will be some of the most comfortable that you can wear and are worth considering for certain applications. Here are two popular models:
Spiritus Systems Bank Robber
This is about as “micro” as the micro rigs go. As the name of this model somewhat implies, it was designed to be small enough to be concealed under a jacket or hoodie if need be. While I seriously doubt that Spiritus Systems endorse using their rig for anything nefarious, concealability can be a concern for law-abiding citizens too. Space on this rig is very limited, but that’s the sacrifice for it to be as small and light as it is. MSRP: $96.85 (sum of the three pieces required to assemble) at spiritussystems.com.
Haley Strategic D3CRM Micro
This is very similar to the larger Haley Strategic model, just more compact and with less space for gear. It can accommodate inserts for different calibers of magazines and the placard can be attached independently to a plate carrier as well. The biggest advantage of this model over something more “micro” like the Spiritus is comfort, as the harness straps are much wider on the Haley Strategic model. On the flip side, however, even this micro chest rig is too bulky to be concealed when loaded with gear and it doesn’t roll up to be as compact as other models. MSRP: $175 at haleystrategic.com.
Surplus Chest Rig Options
Milsurp gear can always be a good option too, especially for those who use weirder rifles. 7.62 AK mags can be troublesome to find compatible chest rigs for, so Combloc military surplus bought online is a decent way to find gear that works. A lot of military surplus equipment like this is also more loadbearing in nature, typically featuring more pockets and provisions for carrying gear. Surplus rigs won’t be the fastest or most tactical of options, but they can still be excellent pieces of kit for the right application. Regardless of the rifle you use or the intended role of your chest rig, you should be able to find a compatible piece of surplus equipment. Here are two of the more popular pieces of surplus gear that people still use today:
U.S. LBV-E
A very solid yet still affordable piece of surplus kit is the American LBV-E rig. This was designed to be worn over body armor and can carry at least six AR mags plus some other gear. It can also have a webbing belt attached to it for carrying a holster, canteen or anything else one might desire. These are still common enough that you could probably find one at your local surplus store today for well under $50.
South African Pattern 83 Chest Rig
South African’s and Rhodesian’s affinity for full-power rifles has made their surplus gear popular with those who use the same in the U.S. The Pattern 83 rig has been praised as a very simple, rugged and comfortable way to carry spare mags and supplies. They can fit up to six AR mags and earlier models also had ejector straps for compatibility with shorter 20-round .308 magazines. These can still be found for sale online, but their collectability makes them a bit more expensive to acquire.
South African troops in training wearing Pattern 83 chest rigs. Photo: Wikipedia.
Final Thoughts
With the popularization of plate carriers and body armor amongst tactically minded American civilians, chest rigs aren’t the staple of kit that they once were. That doesn’t mean they can’t still be very useful, however. A rig that’s been properly chosen and configured for its role can be one of the most comfortable and convenient methods for toting around extra stuff, so they’re still worth considering for anyone putting a kit together. Just remember to train with it on before you’re forced to wear it when it counts.
There was a time when only big-bore revolvers were carried for defense. Are times so different now?
In this, the 21st century, when the whole world seems enamored with the 9mm pistol, it can be difficult to remember that for a long time the world was made safe by means of big-bore revolvers.
Granted, a lot of that was done by the Colt single action when it was the sine qua non of defensive tools. I’m not saying you should go back to a brace of Colts as your defensive armory (although you wouldn’t be unarmed, were that your only option), but the big-bore double-action revolver has a lot going for it.
Are Big-Bore Revolvers Good For Self-Defense?
Case in point, my Smith & Wesson 625. The 625 is the S&W N frame in .45 ACP. It’s made of stainless steel and has a barrel with a full-length underlug so there’s mass to counter recoil. They came with your choice of 3-, 4- or 5-inch barrels. As a .45 ACP revolver, you use moon clips, half-moon or full-moons, which are simple steel clips that hold three or six rounds in an assembly. The whole assembly goes in and, once used, it all comes out.
As a double-action revolver, you can shoot by thumb-cocking it or simply trigger-stroking it. Built on the N frame—the .44 Magnum frame—the potential of the revolver is such that you could, should you wished, load it up with hotter-than-normal .45 ACP ammo, but what’s the point? If the problem facing you (perhaps literally) can’t be solved with a 230-grain JHP heading out at some 900 fps, then you have bigger problems than “do I have enough velocity?”
The author’s S&W 625, a prize gun and a prized gun.
With adjustable sights, you can tame the 625 by loading your own practice ammo, booting 185-grain plated or coated bullets at some 700 to 800 fps, and build up to the +P equivalents you’d use for defense. In my particular model, it came with a round-butt grip and a 4-inch barrel, so I used it with round-butt rubber grips for competition and daily carry. Moon clips are inexpensive. A quick check turns up an eight-pack of them from Uniquetek for $5.95.
The 625 and others like it were used extensively in USPSA, IPSC, IDPA and bowling pin competition. One big advantage was that even in “lost brass” matches (you weren’t allowed to pick up your empties), we’d get our empty brass back. The empties were still clipped into the moon clip, and no one was going to leave those behind.
This was a cause for some minor concern when I shot in the IPSC World Shoot in Rhodes in 2011. Not only was it a lost-brass match, but the law in Greece prohibited reloading ammo, and empty brass was to be scrounged up by the range and turned over to the police. Well, us revolver shooters weren’t going to abandon our moon clips. Each night we’d take the empties out and refill the clips. By the end of a 35-stage match, we each had 500 to 700 empties. What to do? Hand them off to one or another range officer, who quickly made them disappear.
Weapons Lights And Big-Bore Revolvers
One detail of the big-bore revolver for defense is that most of them have no provision for using a light. With the exception of the S&W M&P R8 or the TRR8, there’s no bolting a light to the wheelgun. So you’ll have to practice your light and handgun technique, such as the Harries technique. That isn’t a big deal, as we’re discussing home defense here and you’re not going to be conducting a house-clearing exercise. You’re going to get safely down behind the bed, with 911 on the phone, and cover the door to the bedroom. Or some similar situation. There, light management is an entirely different procedure than handling a light and a revolver.
Competition is a good way to learn skills and get comfortable with your big-bore wheelgun. You don’t have to take it all the way to the world championships, but if you do, you’ll have fun.
Ensuring A Smooth Running Defensive Revolver
One detail to be aware of when using a revolver is primer clearance. It was customary back when revolvers were common to load the cylinder and close it. Then, thumb back the hammer just enough to unlock the cylinder and give it a spin. This checked and ensured all rounds would clear the recoil shield. With moon clips, you have to test them all once they’re loaded.
On my competition revolvers, where the spur had been removed, I simply used a length of tape to hold the cylinder lock down. Then, I could spin the cylinder to test, not pulling the hammer back, and removing the tape once I was done. The checked moon clips would get stacked in the range bag, ready for the next day’s competition. You can do the same with yours for defensive use. Check your ammo or moon clips; then, keep the checked ammo next to the revolver wherever you keep it each day. When you settle in for the night, deploy the wheelgun and its ammo, secure in the knowledge it’ll all work.
Big-Bore Revolver's Terminal Advantage
What does a big-bore revolver get you, something like the 625? Horsepower. As in, displacement, like an engine. You can do a lot with a V-8 that’s loafing along in low rpm that’d take a smaller engine spinning a lot faster to do. As I mentioned, a 230 JHP, even at a relatively sedate 825 fps, is going to do an exemplary job. If you halve the weight, you’d have to greatly increase the velocity to do the same.
The speedloader, here an HKS, is the best way to get more ammo into a revolver that doesn’t use moon clips.
And yes, 9mm Parabellum, I’m looking at you. A lot of 9mm, loaded with a 115 JHP (exactly half the weight of our .45), is going to be hard-pressed to break 1,200 fps. So that’s the trade-off for more ammo: less horsepower. And the radically increased muzzle blast of a 9mm or 9mm+P, compared to the big-bore thumper. “But, 9mm pistols can be shot faster.” Yes, but while speed is good, hits are final and speedy hitting with a revolver has never been a problem. You just practice. And with a revolver, you can even dry-fire double action and get even faster.
Big-Bore Revolver Capacity And Reloading
One drawback we have to address is capacity: Wheelguns only have six rounds. But reloading can be fast, if you practice. And you should practice with dummy rounds. Long winter nights are conducive to speedy reloading skills.
Reloading the .45 ACP 625 is the fastest any revolver will ever be. If you have any doubts about how fast it can be done, simply look up my friend Jerry Miculek. Yes, he’s a wizard, but a competent full moon clip reload can be done as fast as or faster than the average high-capacity 9mm magazine exchange.
Some of your options in big bores, left to right: .44 Special, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 ACP. Avoid the hunting loads and you’ll be fine.
The .45 ACP is the paragon on reloading speed, but you don’t have to limit yourself to the .45 ACP. Speedloaders, like the HKS, let you get six more thumpers into your wheelgun quickly. So, anything above .357 Magnum becomes a viable choice. That means 10mm (which also uses full moon clips) .44 Special, .44 Magnum and .45 Colt.
Oh, and the 10mm revolver, if it uses full moon clips, also lets you use .40 S&W ammo in moon clips. Not that you have to go out and hunt one down, but if you already have a big-bore revolver, you need not sell it in order to finance the same polymer-framed 9mm everyone else has. You already have a tool suitable for defense. And ammo? Ammo companies make defensive ammo for all of those calibers. You don’t need max-pressure heavyweight hunting ammo, and when you can find ammo again, you’ll be able to get the less-obnoxious defensive loads for your big bore. If you have a .44 Magnum, a .44 Special load using 200-grain JHPs like the one from Sig would be an excellent choice.
Conclusion
My 625 is special to me. It was on the prize table at Second Chance, and I was the first guy “out of the guns” in the prize order. We were called up in order to pick what we wanted. I watched the shooter ahead of me walk up and paw through the prizes, until he finally picked something—not a gun—and walk off. When my name was called, I walked up, pawed through the gear, found the gun and took it to registry as my prize.
Jess Christiansen, reloading his wheelgun against the clock at The Pin Shoot. Reloading quickly in competition will train you to reload quickly in a self-defense situation … were it really matters.
The next morning, with the match over, I recounted the tale over breakfast at a restaurant in Central Lake. From the next booth over, a shooter piped up, “That was me. I couldn’t find it in all the other prizes.” We all had a good laugh. Outside, after we finished eating, one of the new shooters asked why I hadn’t offered the gun to the other shooter. One of the other old hands explained some of the customs and social niceties of pin shooting: “Because of the 30-second rule. He’d had his time to find what he wanted or settle for what he could find. If he wanted the gun now, he had to ask. If Pat had offered it to him, he’d be announcing to the restaurant that the other guy couldn’t find a gun inside the prize table. That would have been an insult.”
After winning that gun, I took it back to the pin shoot to compete and win more loot. I also used it as a daily carry gun. Loot, memories and an eminently suitable defensive tool. Some guns are more than just hunks of steel.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Ruger M77 MkII International is a beautiful bolt-action rifle where history and performance intersect.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mannlicher stock on a rifle. Like the 1963 Corvette Stingray, redheads and chemistry, I just had to. Well, the problem with the Mannlicher stock was…Mannlicher. The receiver design put me off with the split rear bridge. The butter-knife bolt handle was a hot mess. And all the non-euro Mannlicher-stocked rifles were either too expensive, not as elegant—or both.
Then, Ruger came out with their M77 MkII in .275 Rigby. Actually, Lipsey’s did, as a special run just for them in .275 Rigby and marked as such. Now, the Ruger M77 in the MkII has been around since 1991. The original M77 came about back in the late 1960s, a product of Jim Sullivan, the AR-15 designer. The MkII changes made the original M77 more like the 1898 Mauser, with a controlled-feed action and a blade ejector but kept the anvil-tough Ruger design details. Then, in 2006, the MkII was updated to the Hawkeye, and now it was perfect with the lighter and cleaner LC6 trigger.
The Ruger International in .275 Rigby. A must-have from the early days of gun-acquisition, and one now satisfied.
The moment I saw the International Rigby Hawkeye, I was hooked. That it was chambered in .275 meant I told the Ruger rep, “Send me one now.” When I found out that Hornady was offering ammunition headstamped “.275 Rigby,” I asked Hornady to send me ammo and told Ruger to bill me; they weren’t getting the rifle back after testing.
Hornady makes ammunition for the Ruger (and any others) that’s headstamped .275 Rugby.
By Any Other Name?
The 275 (I can’t call it “The Rigby,” because that’s what you’d call one made in England by Rigby) is a wood-stocked full length to the muzzle rifle in stainless steel. The nose cap is also stainless, and the rifle, actually a carbine with an 18.5-inch barrel, comes with iron sights installed. That’s a rarity these days, with every rifle getting a set of rings and a scope before it ever leaves the gun shop.
When I saw the caliber marking on the barrel, I was hooked. I had to have it, breaking one of the cardinal rules of gun writing.
Oh, the 275 comes with rings, the most-excellent Ruger clamp-on rings, where the receiver is machined to accept them. The action is, as all Ruger bolt guns have been since the beginning, made with the Ruger angled front-action screw. Back in the days when all stocks were wood stocks, this was a great advance. Instead of depending on precision wood inletting to bed the stock, the Ruger action screw, pointing down and to the back, pulls the action down into and back against the stocks recoil shoulder. Today, with precision machining, glass bedding and (anathema here) synthetic stocks, such a thing isn’t needed. But it’s good, and on a wood stock, it’s really good.
A light and compact rifle deserves a light and compact scope, hence this old but valued Leupold 1.5-5x.
And, the back of the stock has one of the Ruger solid red rubber recoil pads. On something more robust than a .275 Rigby I might want a recoil pad that’s thicker or softer or both, but for this it’s just fine.
The Hawkeye Factor
The Hawkeye is your basic bolt-action rifle, but Ruger makes pretty much all of it better. The magazine is an internal magazine with a hinged floorplate that holds four rounds. The safety has three positions, so you can lock the action closed, unlock it to extract the chambered round but leave it on “safe,” or move it to “fire” to shoot.
The front action screw is angled and hidden inside of the hinged floorplate.
At 7 pounds empty, the Rigby (oops, I did it there) handles quickly and isn’t a problem to carry all day long. Even if you add a scope on top and load it up, you’d be hard-pressed to get the weight much over 8 pounds, and that’s just not a lot of weight to be carrying.
The cartridge is, as I mentioned, a bonus. Those of you who might not be up to date on your African hunting cartridges and British makers marks will know it by a more familiar name: 7×57 Mauser. Yes, that Mauser.
The safety is a rotating tab that has three positions: locked, safe to work the action, and fire.
Wait, what? It’s a 7-mill? The 7-mill? Yep. Rigby was a custom gunmaker, and if at all possible, he wanted his customers to be satisfied with his products. And to buy his products. So, by making the 7×57 under a proprietary name, he could get them onboard with his product line.
There was also another reason: quality. Even back then, ammo was expensive, and you had to depend on the name of the company providing it. If you bought “7×57” ammo some place, it probably would work, but would it be good enough? If you bought “.275 Rigby” ammunition for your Rigby rifle chambered in .275, you knew it’d work. A hunter buying ammunition in a store in Nairobi a century ago could be certain that if the boxes and cases were marked “.275 Rigby” he was getting exactly what he was looking for.
Today, we take for granted that if it’s made by an ammo company we recognize, it’ll work to our satisfaction. A century ago, not so much. And who wants to find out the hard way, a week’s walk from the store amidst angry critters ready to bite, claw or stomp you?
Now, the stock design does come with some, shall we say, peculiarities. While the rear sling swivel mounting spot is your basic stud screwed into the stock, ready for a QD sling swivel, the front sling point isn’t. There, the customary sling swivel hardware is a steel loop that has its pivot points on the sides of the forearm. If you want a sling, you have to accommodate that setup, because you won’t have a regular sling stub up front. That front sling point is forward of the checkering on the forearm, which checkering matches that on the wrist and pistol grip. The forearm is very slim; if you have large hands, you’ll find your fingers wrapping up onto the barrel. Not a problem, but it just feels a bit odd at first.
In the modern world of 30mm scopes, the .275 Rigby came with 1-inch rings. You can get 30mm rings, but in keeping with the light and compact lines of the rifle, I opted to dig an old but trusty Leupold out of the optics locker: a 1.5-5x. Overall, 5x is plenty good enough for me out to 300 yards, which is as far as I’d be willing to tag a game animal.
Bang Testing
So, with a scope on the Ruger, I hauled it off to the range to test. The Hornady .275 Rigby ammo is loaded with their 140-grain Interlock soft-point, and out of the 18.5-inch barrel of my Ruger it “only” does 2,459 fps. In a world of laser-flat-trajectory magnums and super-BC bullets, a 140-grain soft-point may not seem like much. I agree, but the International isn’t a 1,000-yard rifle.
Five shots under 2 inches from a lightweight and stylish rifle, with a 5X max scope on it.
Following the design cues of the safari era, it’s perfectly suited to woods hunting and open areas not on the Great Plains. If I zero it 2 inches high at 100 yards, the drop at 300 yards is just over 4 inches. That means I’m good out almost to 300 without taking any trajectory into account. And if I do range-find a game animal at 300, I need only hold a couple of inches high to be all set.
Could I use other ammo? Yes. For 7×57, ammo that came with better performance than the Hornady Interlock (a difficult thing to do, by the way) is easy: Hornady Superformance. That has a 139-grain SST, with both a higher velocity and a better BC. If I needed a bit flatter trajectory, then that’d get the nod. Now tested, zeroed and ready to go, the International sits in my rack, waiting its turn.
Velocities are averages of five shots measured on a Labradar chronograph set to read 15 feet from the muzzle. Accuracy average of three, five-shot groups at 100 yards.
So, my Mannlicher urge has been satisfied. The 1963 Stingray? I don’t fit; they weren’t made for someone 6 feet, 4 inches. Redheads? Got the scars from that episode. And chemistry? Despite loving it enough to get a degree in it, the thought of a 30-year career as a bench chemist for Megacorp LLC, ending with a dinner, a gold watch and pension was depressing.
Breakthrough Clean Technologies’ new MSR Carbon Removal Tool is a sleek and handy implement for keeping your AR clear of crud.
Despite being originally advertised as a “self-cleaning” rifle, most AR-15 owners know that it’s best to not let too much carbon build up inside their guns. Here to help clear out that baked-on gunk is Breakthrough Clean Technologies’ new MSR Carbon Removal Tool. For those who aren’t aware, MSR stands for “modern sporting rifle” and was coined to draw less ire from the anti-gun crowd when referring to AR-style rifles. Regardless of how you or Breakthrough Clean Technologies refer to these firearms, the company’s new MSR Carbon Removal Tool is the perfect solution for clearing the crud out of those hard-to-reach spaces.
The MSR Carbon Removal Tool isn’t the first of its kind on the gun maintenance accessory market, but it does distinguish itself from existing models. While some other carbon scrapers may have more cleaning implements like brushes built into their design, this also tends to hinder their ergonomics and portability. Both are traits that took priority when Breakthrough was designing their Carbon Removal Tool.
Reminiscent of an out-the-front switchblade knife, the MSR Carbon Removal Tool features two ends and can be protracted and retracted from either direction. The two ends of the scraper tool were each designed with different functions in mind, with parts of the blade specifically engineered for cleaning certain areas of the rifle ranging from the bolt lugs to the firing pin to the carrier itself.
The benefits of the Carbon Removal Tool’s retractable nature are two-fold. Not only does it allow for one to carry it in a bag or pocket without worry of damaging other items, but it also provides an ergonomic handle to grasp while actually using the tool to clean. Caked-on carbon can be tricky to get off, and the leverage provided by a long and sturdy handle can make things much easier. With an MSRP of only $18.95, the MSR Carbon Removal Tool would make for a useful addition to any AR-owner’s range bag, especially those who run their guns suppressed.
Until as of late, if you were hunting an AR around the Midwest in all likelihood you were hunting with a .450 Bushmaster. Packing plenty of punch at moderate distances, the big-bore brute is a proven venison getter, if you were up to its relatively stout recoil. That and it’s fairly expensive appetite. Factory ammo isn’t cheap. Even outside the great north woods, the .450 Bushmaster provides an interesting addition to any gun collection. If for no other reason than the opportunity to pitch 250-plus-grain projectiles from an AR-15.
Similar to most cartridges compatible with America’s favorite rifle, the .450 Bushmaster doesn’t require a new firearm to get behind the trigger. If you have a lower, all you need is a .450 Bushmaster upper and you’re in business. Isn’t modularity grand!
Obviously, there are a number of pre-assembled .450 Bushmaster uppers on the market, which we’ll look at in a second, but it’s more than feasible to build yours from the bottom up. We won’t break things down that far in this article, however, it’s worth the time to cover the difference between the main components of a Bushy and run-of-the-mill 5.56.
.450 Bushmaster Upper Inside Out
Some caliber conversions are more involved than others, that’s just the way of life. Say you were handy smith with AR-pattern rifles and were converting parts and not a complete upper (unnecessarily time-consuming, but this is an illustration). If you wanted to jump from a 5.56 NATO to .300 Blackout, technically the only part that would require replacement would be the barrel. Everything else about the uppers are seamless between the cartridges, which makes sense since the Blackout’s parent case is the 5.56 NATO.
Things are more complex and drastic jumping to .450 Bushmaster. Not only would you have to address the barrel, but also the bolt and the upper receiver itself. The upper receiver, while mil-spec in every other sense, must have its ejection port enlarged at the front to consistently kick your spent brass. This is the way it goes with any big-dog AR caliber, .458 Socom, .50 Beowulf, what have you, do to case length and diameter. If you’re a down-and-dirty tinker, you can break out your Dremel and a file grind away yourself, as long as you’re confident you won’t “Bubba” up the job.
If you don’t trust yourself, but still want to start from scratch, there are .450 Bushmaster upper receivers on the market, complete with precision milled ejection ports. Perhaps, this is as good a point as any to jump into your options.
Stripped .450 Bushmaster Upper Receiver Options
San Tan Tactical Big Bore
An expensive stripped option, but a .450 Bushmaster upper you can be assured is built to the tightest specs and is made for precision performance. San Tan’s Big Bore upper is constructed from billet aluminum, but isn’t blocky or heavy. Plus, it boasts a number of design enhancements that ensure it will perform for the long haul, such as the upper’s truss pocket. MSRP: $260; santantactical.com
Obsidian Arms
A very lightweight option, Obsidian Arm’s OA-15C big-bore upper is ideal for highly mobile builds, weighing only 8.8 ounces. Made from billet 7075 T6 aluminum alloy, the upper is more than up to withstanding the .450 Bushmaster’s punishment and your own personal abuse. Of course, it has an enlarged ejection port, but it also includes a removable brass deflector. Additionally, the upper is an eye-catcher with nice lines, if you like a bit sleeker-looking build. MSRP: $175; obsidianarms.com
Aero Precision XL
Those who’ve pieced together their own ARs previously, understand Aero is synonymous with value, offering high-quality parts at prices most can afford. It’s no different with the company’s .450 Bushmaster upper, the AR15 XL. A solidly made forged aluminum receiver, the XL has the strength to handle the big-bore brute, as well as the design specs to ensure it runs smoothly—i.e. an enlarged port. Plain-Jane in looks, the upper nonetheless performs. MSRP: $114.99; aeroprecisionusa.com
Next Level Armament's NLX450 Bushmaster upper is built tough and ready to sustain the abuse that this big round provides. Besides including a forged upper receiver and extra-strength Springco buffer spring, the NLX450 also comes with a durable DLC finish, including on the bolt carrier. It also includes some components made by Tromix, a very well-respected name in the big-bore AR game. The .450BM bolt is made by Tromix as well as the barrel which is available in either 16-inch or 18-inch configurations with carbine or mid-length gas systems, respectively. The complete upper also includes an ambidextrous charging handle, MLOK handguard and a “Unique” muzzle brake made in-house by Next Level. Each NLX450 upper also ships with a 5-round magazine so you can get to shooting right away. MSRP: $852.12; nextlevelarms.com
Windham Weaponry .450 Thumper
Windham Weaponry does the Bushmaster right. Its Thumper (in homage to Col. Jeff Cooper’s Thumper concept) has about everything you’d want out of a .450 Bushmaster upper. This includes a massive 16-inch chrome-moly-vanadium heavy-profile barrel, complete with chrome-lined chamber and bore. The bolt is machined from magnetic particle inspected Carpenter 158 steel, standard in quality AR builds. And the AR sports a carbine-length gas system. Windham runs a bit shorter 13-inch aluminum handguard, with M-Lok slots at the three, six and nine o’clock positions. Additionally, it’s free-floated ensuring barrel harmonics remain pristine. Concerning muzzle devices, the Thumper comes with an A2 Birdcage flash hider, so if you’re recoil sensitive you’ll need to shop for a brake or compensator. However, the upper does ship with a 5-round magazine, tuned to smoothly feed .450 ammo. MSRP: $805; windhamweaponry.com
Radical Firearms .450 Bushmaster MHR
Definitely one of those companies more should know about, Radical Firearms gives shooters a lot of bang for their buck. A trademark of the company are options, which comes through on its .450 Bushmaster uppers. Available with either a 16- or 20-inch barrel, the upper gives you the ability to tailor your build to your style of shooting. In both cases, the barrels are heavy profile and topped off with the company’s Panzer brake, making the big-bore cartridge a bit more shootable. Radical outfits the build with its HMR handguard, a 15-inch lightweight hybrid option with plenty of M-Lok slots at three, six and nine o’clock positions. The ejection port is enlarged to ensure smooth cycling and the gunmaker uses top-end internals to put the whole package together. MSRP: $669.95; radicalfirearms.com
Bear Creek Arsenal .450 Bushmaster
If you’re just looking to dip your toe into the .450 Bushmaster, perhaps you don’t want to break the bank on your first build. In that case, Bear Creek Arsenal offers a unique upper that gets you started in the caliber without charging an arm and leg. The gunmaker’s 18-inch barreled .450 Bushmaster upper is a “Mama Bear” option, nimble but long enough to milk a little more out of the cartridge. Heavy profile, the fire tube adds heft and reduces recoil, though if you need a bit more in that area you’ll have to shop brakes and compensators since Bear Creek outfits the barrel with a flash hider. The upper has a 15-inch, M-Lok compatible handguard with plenty of space to accessorize. Uniquely, Bear Creek runs a side-charging system on the upper, which for many is desirable. Never fear lefties, it’s ambidextrous. MSRP: $244.99; bearcreekarsenal.com
Conjuring images of hardboiled detectives in fedoras, there is still something alluring the .38 Special revolver. Particularly the snub-nosed variety. Among the most concealable of handguns and steadfast as a faithful dog, there’s peace of mind in the tried and true wheelie. Though, it is a bit of an anachronism at this point.
Or is it?
True enough, the .38 Special revolver falls short on several accounts compared to today’s semi-automatic pistols. Yet, there is a place for the handgun in modern-day concealed carry, especially at the price many solid makes and model move for today. We’ll look at some of these affordable .38 Special revolver options in a moment. But before we head there, let's touch on some pros and cons of the platform.
Why You Want A .38 Special Revolver
Revolvers, to utter the word is to conjure up the idea of dependability. There’s truth in the stereotype. Overall, the platform is among the most reliable, in double-action format generally an aim and shoot affair. A round fails to fire, simply pull the trigger again and the repeater moves on to the next round.
This isn’t to say the handgun is impervious to malfunctions. They happen. When they do the mishaps are catastrophic compared to a semi-auto pistol. Tap and rack isn't going to solve a pulled bullet or stuck case in a revolver. That said, malfunctions of these magnitudes are exceedingly rare in a fully functional wheelgun shooting good ammunition.
On top of reliability, revolvers—those meant for concealed carry and especially the snubbie .38 Special revolver—are exceptionally easy to keep under wraps. Widthwise, the guns run thicker than the average concealed carry pistol. But with a barrel less than 2-inches and an overall length that rarely exceeds size of your hand, the snub nose .38 Special revolver cuts a low profile.
This leads to an intriguing aspect. More so than many semi-autos out there, the small wheelie is more compatible with different carry positions. If the hip doesn’t work for you, the handgun is a natural pocket pistol, carries great with a quality ankle rig and is dynamite in a belly band. Flexibility in concealment and body placement—along with its reliability—also makes the petite .38 Special revolver among the best backup guns ever set in cold steel.
Mild to shoot and deadly accurate at typical self-defense ranges, there is plenty to like about the .38 Special cartridge in and of itself. In fact, it’s among the most pleasurable to send downrange even in +P and out of small revolvers. When you’ve seen a shooter struggle to keep a .357 Magnum or even the 9mm out of light pistol consistently on target this advantage becomes clear. Round placement is the key factor in neutralizing a threat. Most can place rounds with a .38 Special.
Picking up where we left off, there is a downside to the caliber—its terminal ballistics. Long ago, due to its performance through barriers—particularly sheet metal and windshields—the FBI deemed the .38 Special unfit for service. Incidentally, these tests (the post 1986 Miami Shootout ballistics testing project) also eliminated the 9mm—which the bureau now carries (go figure). So, don’t expect to pack a thunderclap, especially out of a snubbie .38.
That said, with the right ammo the revolver performs. The key here is finding the right ammo, which means doing your homework to hound dog a round that consistently penetrates and expands. Don’t think this is an exercise exclusive to the .38 Special. Any caliber and handgun requires due diligence. Though, given the lower velocity at which the cartridge operates, acceptable options might not be as clear cut as they would be in, say, .45 ACP or .357 Magnum.
Additionally, the .38 Special revolver doesn’t have much ammo on tap. Concealed carry models, five rounds is the norm, though there are 6-round options. Walking hand-in-hand with capacity is reloading. Suffice to say, the process is neither as fast nor as simple as with a semi-auto pistol.
Speedloaders save time and get a revolver back into a fight more quickly than without. But even with an aid, the procedure takes a fair amount of fine motor skills and a cool head. Adrenaline coursing through the veins, both will be in short supply in a lethal-force encounter.
Finally, when it comes to challenges, there’s the revolver’s trigger. As previously mentioned, double-action triggers have advantages, but for those unfamiliar with them accuracy enhancement isn’t one of them. DOA triggers are heavy, making it difficult to hold on target through the break. It takes practice, plenty of it—with a bit of hand strength—to master this aspect of the revolver.
Best Affordable .38 Special Revolver Options
It’s worth a brief word as to the stipulations for this list. There are four criteria which we used to choose .38 Special revolvers:
Reliability: The guns are well made with a reliable track record. Concealability: We’re looking at concealed carry revolvers, in turn, we’re sticking with snub-nose .38s. Price: Aiming at the more affordable end of the market, we’ve set the ceiling at a $600 MSRP, which should give nearly every shooter access. Accessibility: All the models are currently in production, thus found at most gun retailers.
Smith & Wesson Model 642
Since its introduction, the Model 642 has been a favorite among armed citizens, blending all the assets shooters expect in a Smith & Wesson. Chief among these is performance. The Massachusetts gunmaker turns out quality handguns that over the years have earned the reputation for reliability and accuracy.
Boasting an aluminum alloy frame, the “Airweight” is among the lightest options (14.6 ounces) in its class. The .38 Special revolver is also no bigger than a minute. Measuring in at a tick over 6-inches in overall length, the 642 opens a wealth of possibilities in carry style and position.
A concealed hammer and integral rear sights make the 5-round revolver a smooth draw and +P rating helps it pack a punch. But, keep in mind, this option is strictly double-action-only handgun. MSRP: Starting at $477; smith-wesson.com
Ruger LCR
The LCR has won accolades for its concealability. For a good reason, Ruger’s carry-tailored .38 Special revolver is small, light and easy to keep under wraps. However, the 5-round wheelie has some other overlooked and highly desirable aspects. Perhaps A-No. 1, the +P-rated revolver’s fantastic trigger.
While the LCR’s pull is still long and heavy compared to semi-auto pistols, it's about as smooth as they come from the factory and is nearly impossible to stack. This goes a ways in improving the DAO revolver’s accuracy and makes it a solid option for those just learning the platform.
In addition to this, Ruger has engineered a level of customizability into the gun not found in many other revolvers. These include a swappable pinned front sight and an easily exchangeable grip system. MSRP: $579; ruger.com
Rock Island Armory M206
Better known for its economical 1911s, Rock Island is also a competent revolver-smith. Look no further than the M206 for proof. Classical in design (somewhat reminiscent of a Colt Detective Special), the spurless .38 Special revolver adds a touch of aesthetics to its solid and dependable performance.
A bit heftier (24 ounces) than many modern snubbies, its carry position might be a bit more limited for most. Yet, the extra weight makes the 2-inched barrel M206 an absolute kitten to shoot, thus improves its accuracy potential, particularly shot to shot. Fairly standard fare, the gun comes with a ramp front sight and integral rear sight, and it boasts a desirable 6-round cylinder.
Now to a bit of controversy. The revolver’s literature and rollmark list it as a .38 Special, not +P. However, Armscorp claims you can run a limited amount of the higher pressure ammo through the gun. It’s a gray area for sure, one that makes some uneasy about using +P ammo in the gun at all. MSRP: $492; armscor.com
Weihrauch Windicator
Outside the air gun world, Weihrauch isn’t a well-known name in America. However, the German gunmaker has a long tradition with revolvers, particularly those aimed at self-defense. And in recent years has offered one on the U.S. market—the Windicator.
Imported by European American Armory, the .38 Special revolver is fairly spartan. At the same tick, the 6-round wheelie is well made, dependable and concealable. Overall, not a bad mix.
The gun is among the heaviest on this list at an ample 1.7 pounds. That said, like any heavier gun it tames the already mild .38 Special considerably, improving its shot-to-shot accuracy.
Notably, the gun has an exposed hammer and spur, which give you the best of both worlds—single and double action. The former is much preferable to the latter, with the Windicator’s DA pull very heavy in compared to its American counterparts.
Though don’t let this scare you off, the gun still proves a great value and reliable. What else could you want from a concealed carry revolver? MSRP: Starting at $345; eaacorp.com
Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 38
“Tactical revolver” sounds like an oxymoron but is what Smith and Wesson pulls this off with its M&P Bodyguard 38. Lightweight and configured to optimize manipulation, the .38 Special revolver is a marked break from S&W dogma … but works. In particular, Smith & Wesson moved the cylinder release from the left side to the rear of the frame, making it ambidextrous and giving shooters greater access during reloads.
Additionally, the gunmaker has dehorned every square inch of the 5-round revolver, ensuring it draws smoothly and without a hitch. Aiding in this is a low-rise ramp front sight and smoothed stainless steel cylinder.
Utilizing an aluminum alloy, the Bodyguard 38 comes in at a scant 14.4 ounces, making it acceptable for almost any conceivable style of carry. And a +P rating gives the handgun added punch. MSRP: Starting at $402; smith-wesson.com
Taurus 856CH
As far as .38 Special revolvers go, the 856CH isn’t going to win any beauty contests. (What concealed carry snubbie is?) But it will perform when you need it to, which makes it an attractive option.
Part of the rebooted 856 line, the CH features a DAO spurless hammer, cutting down the gun's overall profile. It’s very reminiscent of the Taurus 85, but with one major difference—the 856 carries 6 rounds, as opposed to 5.
Boasting an aluminum-frame and carbon steel 2-inch barrel and cylinder, the revolver tips the scales at a flat 1-pound. It’s a nice middle ground, enough weight to tame +P ammunition, but not too much to make the gun cumbersome. MSRP: $364; taurususa.com
Charter Arms Off-Duty
If concealability is at a premium, the Off-Duty is the answer. Among the smallest and lightest .38 Special revolvers available, the minuscule wheelie is a second thought to tote. Even better, if you’re looking for a back-up gun, the revolver was practically made for this duty.
Boasting an aluminum-alloy frame (stainless steel barrel and cylinder), the revolver tips the scales at 12 ounces, which is somewhat a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the revolver is an absolute second thought to tote and can be carried anywhere. As far as pocket pistols go, it’s a knockout. The flipside, even the tame .38 Special can make the light gun hop in your hand.
Charter Arms mitigates some of this with a contoured, rubberized grip. Your pinky will hang, but overall it gives you good control over the revolver. As to other assets, it’s streamlined, with an encased hammer, so snags aren’t a worry. And the Off-Duty is quick to manipulate with a left-side cylinder release. MSRP: Starting at $420; charterfirearms.com
Taurus’ latest addition to the G-series line of pistols is the G3XL, featuring a full-size G3 slide on a compact frame designed for concealed carry.
Taurus’ G-series of handguns aim to be as inexpensive as possible while still providing shooters with no-frills, reliable CCW pistol options. The guns are quite basic, but they do seem to have the quality where it counts respective to their price tags. Taurus claims that the G-series has the best performance-to-cost ratio of any CCW pistols on the market, and despite the guns’ basic features, they are at least known for being very reliable. The newest addition to the G-series is the Taurus G3XL, and despite being yet another polymer-framed 9mm striker-fired handgun, it does bring something new to the table.
The Taurus G3XL is a hybrid handgun that uses a full-size slide on a compact frame. This is almost like a reverse Glock 19X, and it’s what many people believed Glock should have done when they released that model. By using a full-size slide with a compact frame, the G3XL gets the best of both worlds in a concealed carry pistol: the concealability of a compact grip combined with the sight radius and performance of a full-sized slide and barrel.
The manual safety lever on the G3XL has been removed and the accessory rail has been shortened to streamline the pistol and provide for a faster potential draw time. While Taurus doesn’t state it outright, the fact that the new pistol uses a standard-length G3 slide should make it compatible with existing G3 holsters as well.
The G3XL will ship with two flush-fitting 12-round magazines, making it just as concealable as the older Taurus G3c, but it will be able to accept extended 15 and 17-round magazines as well. A 10-round model is also available for those who live in states with magazine restrictions. The G3XL's sights, finish and other small features are otherwise unchanged from the rest of the G-series guns, including its economical price with an MSRP of $342.98.
Giant sardine cans of mil-surp ammunition. If you’re like most shooters that’s what you feed your Mosin-Nagant. Why not? Despite being decommissioned decades ago, the leftover 7.62x54R ammo remains plentiful and, more importantly, cheap. Except, like a diet of junk food, you aren’t really getting the most out of old warhorse when you graze it on this stuff.
Certainly, it’s good enough for most range work and emulsifying the odd watermelon here and there. But it’s not exactly the top-shelf ammo you’d want to bet your life on when reaching out past 200 yards consistently. Plus, much of it is harder on your Mosin-Nagant than a Siberian winter.
This is because it’s corrosive, leaving a residue of potassium chloride and/or sodium chloride in your bore. Don’t get that gunk cleaned out and quickly, you’re looking at pitting your rifle’s bore. Plus, it isn’t exactly the cleanest stuff in the world aside from its caustic elements. In either case, you’ll invest a share-and-a-half of elbow grease keeping your Mosin-Nagant clean.
If that’s not enough to sway you, mil-surp ammo is old. Decades upon decades in most cases. While that doesn’t make it trash, it doesn’t exactly make it treasure either. If it hasn’t been stowed correctly in whatever Eastern Bloc warehouse it wiled away the fall of communism, its performance can degrade to the point of frustration. It’s cheap and will feel that way with every trigger pull.
When it comes to Mosin-Nagant ammunition, there’s a better way. While it isn’t exactly falling off the shelves like 5.56mm, there is a load of freshly loaded and modern 7.62x54R ammo on the market that can breathe new life into your Eurasian icon. Modern bullets, cases, propellants and primers work wonders for the rifle’s accuracy and aptitude at a variety of tasks. So if you aren’t well versed in Mosin-Nagant ammunition options (at least the ones chambered in the good old 7.62x54R) we're here to catch you up to speed with the top choices presently available.
Best 7.62x54R Hunting Ammunition
Barnaul 203-grain SPBT
Compared to its full metal jacket ammo, Barnaul’s SPBT isn’t as easily found. Yet, the 203-grain round is worth the hunt. Offering excellent ballistics in a weight appropriate for almost all North American large game, the ammo is a do-all. Mercifully, Barnaul uses non-corrosive primers in the ammo, however, with a steel case. It’s lacquered, so it feeds and extracts easily—especially in the bolt-action Mosin-Nagant. And unless you’re working the bolt like a madman, you aren’t going to cause any undue fatigue to your rifle.
One of the few American-made options in Mosin-Nagant ammo, Winchester’s 180-grain 7.62x54R option isn’t flashy, but gets the job done. It’s topped with a plain old cup-and-core soft-point bullet, but moving 2,625 fps the round is a capable medium- and large-game option. The one drawback, it doesn’t offer the same weight retention of more modern bonded-core bullets, but don’t let that scare you off. Our grandfathers slew deer by the droves with similar projectiles. A big bonus, the cases are brass, which means you can reload the buggers.
Most bullet weights for the 7.62x54R—at least the hunting-appropriate type—tend to the heavier side, 180- and 200-plus-grains. That what makes PPU’s 150-grain option so intriguing. Certainly, it’s appropriate for elk, moose and black bear, but it’s also quite proper for medium-sized game such as hogs, antelope and whitetail. Compared to other Mosin-Nagant ammo, it moves at a good clip, with the listed velocity at 2,838 fps. But if light and fast isn’t your cup of tea, never fear, PPU also has a 180-grain offering with the same cup-and-core bullet. Another plus, PPU’s stuff is completely reloadable—brass cases compatible with boxer primers.
Big-name American ammo-makers somewhat turn their back on the 7.62x54R, but that doesn’t mean you can enjoy the performance of their products. Graf & Sons teamed up with Hornady to produce an exceptional hunting round, utilizing one of the legendary bullet maker’s most icon projectiles. Topped with a 150-grain SST polymer-tipped bullet, Graf & Sons’ Mosin-Nagant ammo boasts among the best BC/velocity profiles in the cartridge. True, it tends to the lighter side. Don’t let this dissuade you. It hits deer, hogs and coyotes like a bolt from the blue, and is a bit easier on the shoulder in the process. Also, if you need dead-nuts range fodder, nobody going to fault you for pitching it at targets.
Peterson Cartridge 165-Grain Sierra Tipped Gameking
Sierra Tipped Gamechanger for the Mosin-Nagant? A rarified proposition once reserved for reloading geeks is now available to the masses thanks to the Peterson Cartridge. To start, the choice of a 165-grain Tipped Gamechanger, well … chef’s kiss. An unfortunately overlooked weight class in .30-calibers, 165-grain bullets tend to offer the best of all worlds, offering excellent velocity with an exceptional BC. In this case, a whopping .511 BC. Expect the ammo to push your warhorse to its and your limits on the hunt and deliver once on target. The polymer-tipped bullets are renowned for their terminal performance, knocking holes in game that put and keep them down. Also, don’t hesitate spending some of Peterson’s ammo at the range. The results are satisfying.
Wait … DoubleTap? That DoubleTap? Yes, the very same one rife with live-saving defensive ammunition options also has you covered when it comes to lead-free hunting ammunition for your Mosin-Nagant. Of course, the company turns to Barnes for the bullet—a 123-grain TSX solid-copper projectile that cooks from the muzzle. Is 3,325 fps fast enough for you? Dollar to donuts, it will be for any game at the receiving end. Don’t let the light weight of the bullet give you the jitters if you’re aiming at big game. Tough as a hickory stump, solid copper projectiles punch well above their weight; in this case, expect it to perform on par with 150-plus-grain bullets.
Sellier & Bellot gets you on target with an exception match-grade round designed precisely for drilling the bullseye. A boat-tail hollow-point kept to tight tolerance, the 174-grain option has the chops to extend the reach of your Russian bang-stick, accurately so. The bullet has an exceptional ballistic coefficient (.500) and leaves the muzzle at a respectable 2,585 fps. Again, Sellier & Bellot load the ammo with brass cases, so they're reloadable. But the ammunition performs solidly enough it’s difficult to resist just shooting another box of the factory-loaded stuff.
An affordable target-shooting option, Barnaul’s 185-grain Mosin-Nagant ammo has the assets to make your range-time fruitful. Boasting a full metal jacket boat-tail bullet, the round has excellent ballistics and consistent performance. Barnaul lists the BC of the bullet at .524, with a muzzle velocity of 2,470 fps. Perhaps the biggest plus for economical 7.62x54R ammo, it's non-corrosive, so you don’t have to worry about scrubbing your rifle’s bore immediately after some trigger time. Though, like all of Barnaul’s offerings, it’s steel cased, so spent rounds don’t represent reloading opportunities.
Wolf has made a name for itself as the purveyors of some of the most economical ammo around—this goes for the 7.62x54R. And it’s difficult to go wrong feeding your Mosin-Nagant with its tried-and-true 174-grain Polyformance ammo. As straight forward as it gets, the ammo is topped with a plain old full-metal jacket bullet that’s pushed 2,558 fps at the muzzle and will hit the mark. The case is steel, but coated in a polymer to ensure smooth feeding and extraction, as well as making the ammo waterproof. For everyday target work with your Nagant, it’s difficult to do better at the price Wolf generally demands.
Designed for match-grade performance, PPU 182-grain match ammunition ups your Mosin-Nagant’s game. The Serbian company keeps the tolerances tight with very uniform full-metal jacket, boat-tail bullets that do a good job at bucking the wind. They also load them fairly hot for 7.62x54R—with the ammo’s muzzle velocity listed as 2,626 fps. The cases are brass, so they are reloadable. Additionally, PPU’s match ammo can usually be found at a reasonably decent price.
A look at some of the most common plate carrier accessories and the best locations to mount them, what they do and why they’re useful.
In our first post discussing how to configure a plate carrier setup, we touched on the basics of what kinds of plate carrier accessories are typically attached to body armor, but this subject deserves to be explored much more thoroughly. Choosing what to attach to your vest is not an exact science, as much of it will depend on your personal preferences, environment and “mission”. This guide won’t tell you exactly which plate carrier accessories you should get, but it should give a better handle on the options, what they can do for you and where to mount them.
A plate carrier with an open-top triple rifle mag pouch, double Taco-style pistol mag pouch, IFAK and tourniquet attached to it via MOLLE.
Attachment Methods
Before discussing where one should mount their plate carrier accessories, it’s important to understand the different methods of attachment.
The most common method, and one you’ve undoubtedly heard of, is MOLLE. MOLLE stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment, and it is colloquially used to describe both sides of the loadbearing system. Technically speaking, only the gear which gets attached to the system has MOLLE, and what it attaches to is called PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System). Only the most pedantic of operators would be annoyed at you for referring to it collectively as MOLLE, however.
A Taco-style rifle mag pouch attached to a carrier via MOLLE.
Attaching MOLLE And PALS
MOLLE plate carrier accessories attach to PALS by weaving the MOLLE straps of the components through the webbing of the PALS until the two are solidly intertwined. Feeding the straps through the webbing can be a challenge, especially when PALS real estate is limited, but I’ve found that using needle-nose pliers to grab the straps is very helpful during installation. This modular system for attaching accessories is used on everything from backpacks to armor vests and has proven to be a very solid method. While improvements to the system have been experimented with such as laser-cut MOLLE using different materials, the general concept is showing no signs of being retired any time soon.
Mag Pouches
Magazine pouches are usually considered to be the most important of the various plate carrier accessories, as having ammunition for your rifle is what keeps you in the fight. There are tons of different styles and brands of MOLLE magazine pouches for a variety of different rifles, so we’re only going to look at a few examples of the different kinds.
Mag Pouch Caliber Considerations The first thing to consider when selecting mag pouches is obviously the caliber and style of one’s rifle. For the vast majority of Americans reading this, that will be a 5.56 AR-15, but just because that’s what dominates the mag pouch aftermarket doesn’t mean that’s all you’re limited to. For those who are building their kit around a rifle chambered for 7.62 NATO, 7.62 Soviet, a pistol caliber or anything else not STANAG mag-shaped, there are still plenty of choices out there.
How Many Mag Pouch Is Enough Another consideration of rifle mag pouches is how many you plan on carrying on the front of your plate carrier. Besides the obvious limitation of PALS real estate, there are also concerns regarding weight, bulk, movement and the ability to get close to the ground. While some individuals choose to run two layers of magazines on the front of their carrier, others find that this method protrudes too far from the body. Ultimately, it’s up to you to find the placement and number of magazines that work best for your purposes. There are pouch panels that exist as a single unit with a row of three or four mag pouches each as well as single-unit styles and everything in between.
Mag Pouch Placement As for the placement of mag pouches on one’s plate carrier, there aren’t many options besides the very front. Depending on your specific vest and the plate carrier accessories you’ve already mounted to it, you may be able to mount mag pouches slightly higher or lower or place an extra individual pouch or two on the side of the cummerbund, but generally speaking, rifle mags are mounted as low as possible across the front of the vest.
Covered-Top Pouches
The most basic style of mag pouch is this closed-top design. While they are the slowest to access, they also provide some of the best security and protection against the elements.
Blackhawk S.T.R.I.K.E. Triple Mag Pouches
Open-Top Pouches
This type of pouch is quicker to access than the closed-top kind but is generally less expensive than the “taco-style”. They provide decent security for magazines during movement, but the elastic bands that hold them in place can get in the way during reloads if not being careful.
TRYBE Tactical Triple Mag Pouches
“Taco-Style” Pouches
The style was pioneered by HSGI who still make the original under the name “TACO”. Other companies have imitated the design, however, giving birth to what is typically just known as “taco-style” pouches. Regardless of which manufacturer you go with, this kind uses the tension of an elastic shock cord to squeeze the shell together and hold a magazine in place. This retains the mag securely enough that it won’t go flying while you run, jump or fight, but loosely enough that they can be easily retrieved when needed. This is definitely the fastest style of mag pouch for reloading, but it also leaves mags exposed to the elements.
HSGI LT Rifle TACO Pouch
Medical
There is quite a lot of variation when it comes to IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kit) as well. There are small and large models, styles designed to be retrieved and used by the wearer themselves and others designed for use by a team medic. Your personal level of medical knowledge and skill should be what determines what you put in your IFAK if you plan on ever using it to treat yourself, whereas if you have teammates you plan on surviving the apocalypse with you should coordinate your IFAK’s contents with the person most trained in combat medicine. This same stipulation will affect your IFAK’s placement on your vest as well.
There are also medical items that are often stored outside of an IFAK like tourniquets which can have their own special carriers for attaching directly to a vest, and presuming you know how to apply one yourself this should definitely be placed within your reach.
Raptor Tactical IFAK
This style uses a base pad with MOLLE to attach to a plate carrier, which in turn secures the IFAK using Velcro. This allows for the IFAK to be quickly removed and accessed if needed.
S.O. Tech Viper Flat IFAK
This style is smaller and more compact but obviously can hold fewer supplies as a result. It also slides out of the base that holds it rather than attaching via Velcro.
Comms
The style of pouch you need is highly dependent on the communication system you have configured. Because comms are already a highly technical and personal aspect of a gear setup, it would be a waste of time to discuss all the different radio pouch options available. If you own a good radio that you plan on using in conjunction with your plate carrier, how you attach it, where you attach it and how you wire it all up to your head will vary greatly, so that’s up to you to figure out. For those just starting to consider a communication system as an addition to their kit, just know that there are plenty of decent plate carrier accessories to help you do it. Here’s just one basic example to serve as a reference.
5.11 Tactical Radio Pouch
Other Plate Carrier Accessories
There are plenty of other plate carrier accessories out there with varying levels of usefulness depending on how and where you plan on using your body armor. Here are just a few examples of different items you could add to your kit to expand its versatility.
Admin Pouch
Despite the serious-sounding name, admin pouches are just pouches for general utility items that may need to be accessed somewhat frequently. They can keep things like a GPS, maps or a notebook separate, protected and easy to get to. These are typically mounted on the upper-most section of the front of a plate carrier.
Blue Force Gear Admin Pouch
Lower Accessory Pouch
This is similar in concept to an admin pouch, but rather than being mounted near the top of the carrier these were designed to hang off the bottom over the wearer’s groin. Sometimes called dangler pouches, these have more volume than admin pouches and can be used to store whatever you believe you may need quick access to in the field—whether that be more medical supplies or a just bag of beef jerky.
Tactical Tailor Lower Accessory Pouch
Knife
Knives are another common plate carrier accessory, although one that isn’t as concrete in its implementation as most other items. There are a lot of good ways to rig a sheath to a vest without buying anything special, and that’s what many guys end up doing, but here’s one that was purpose-built for mounting to a carrier. MSRP for the knife dangler is $40 at parashootergear.com.
Sig has just released the P365-380, a new variant of their extremely popular CCW pistol now chambered for .380 ACP.
The Sig P365 has been incredibly popular since its release. Veteran concealed carriers and new gun owners alike were impressed by its shootability and capacity despite its small size. Chambered for 9mm, most individuals found the P365’s recoil to be manageable, but there are always people looking to defend themselves who have issues with things like grip strength. Targeting those who require their handgun to have lower recoil but would still like to carry a P365, Sig has just released the P365-380.
Virtually identical to the standard 9mm model, the only substantial change on the P365-380 is its caliber, but that change yields more than one benefit. When it comes to managing the recoil of a small and light handgun, .380 ACP is obviously more controllable than 9mm, but the change in caliber has also resulted in a weaker recoil spring and lighter slide and barrel. This all adds up to a pistol that’s easier to rack and over 3-ounces lighter than its 9mm counterpart. Because the profile remains identical, however, the P365-380 will be compatible with all existing P365 holsters as well. Both the 9mm and .380 models utilize the same grip frame and fire control group too, and while Sig doesn’t outright claim it to be possible it stands to reason that one could swap the barrels, slides and magazines between the two without issue.
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One more difference between the new P365-380 and the 9mm model is that the .380 version includes some upgrades as standard features right out of the box, including SIGTRON night sights and an optics-ready slide.
One area that hasn’t been improved in the P365-380 is capacity, as it features the same flush fit 10-round magazines as the 9mm version. Also, unlike the standard model, the P365-380 only has 10-round mags available. While Sig also makes extended 12 and 15-round mags for the 9mm model, so far, they haven’t said anything about doing the same for the new .380.
There will undoubtedly be people who are interested in getting a P365-380, but with pistols chambered for the recently introduced 30 Super Carry vying for much of the same market, time will tell just how popular the P365-380 will really be. It will be available either with or without a manual thumb safety and each gun will include two 10-round mags (one with a finger extension) and a magazine loader. MSRP will also be the same as the 9mm version at $499.99.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
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